Refrigerating machine



Oct. 3, 1933.

B. HALL REFRIGERATING MACHINE Filed Aug. 18 1930 4 Sheets-SheetI l INVEN TOR BY jim' ORNE Y Oct. 3, 1933.

B. HALL 1,928,755

REFRIGERATING MAQHlNE I Filed Aug. 18, 1930 4 sheets-sheet 2 luf-3 62 14E?. 4f

BY 'MM fr E p /132 73"% F17 7 INVENTOR k-Z30 f 136 ATT NEY oct. 3, 1933.B* HALL 1,928,755

REFRIGERATING MACHINE Filed Aug. 18 1950 4 SheeSf-Shee(a 5 INVENTOR BY JA TORNE Oct. 3, 1933. l B, HALL 1,928,755

REFRIGERATING MACHINE I Filed Aug. 18, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet' 4 9 0 .941.9 18 96 /7 o I o n 3a 76 P6 634* Y INVENTOR /z/ BY @gq/ A TTORNEPatentedv Oct. 3, 1933 fnick'neu um, Gloucester, Mass., einer a iFrostedlooda- Company, Inc.,` Dover, Del., a v

corporation of Delaware applicaties August 1s, 1ero. sveriai'No. 416,061

:scansione- 114) f1 The blocks may be usedorconsumed in any Thisinvention to refrigeragmgw ma; chines for forming congeaiedblocks yorcakesV fromA any moisture-containing material, yand contemplatesmoreespecially the -provision'of amachine adapted to `operatecontinuously andautomaticallyv inv producing oongealed blocks Vof oomestiblss ,muy 1mm, funrmewr partially frozen materiah The invention`contemplates the congelation of desired `materiaiincluding liquids,semi-liquids orslush, and solids. The liquids -may consistof suchmaterials as fruit juices; the semi-liquiclscrl slush may be apartially-frozenl liquid ox' any'non-`solid material which doesfnotflow-as freelyS, liquids;

and the solids may be such normally softmatef rials orcomestibies asfruit, berries, the like whichareadaptabl' .to being packed and frozeninto block forni. t 1

Ice cream, ices and like frozen` edibles are commonly chilled orpartiallylcongealed in bulk and then packed in consumer.v packages andplaced in yrefrigeration for transportation and salemThis method ofprocedure a re.v handling of thev materialand entails a considerabieamountof workand expense-.The machine of my `invex'itionmay beemployed'advantageously in this field to form congealed consumerblocksdirectly fromthe .unfroaen material in a. single operation.

In another aspect, my. invention lcomprises a novel refrigeratingmachine vnsefulfor carrying out the methoddisclosed in copendingapplication Serial No. 476,062-1edherewith,

which the material to be' congealedis passed over and in contact with arefrigerating surface.

The machine herein disclosed is provided with a chamber or chambers ofthe shape desired of the congealed block one or more .walls of eachchamber may comprisearefrigeratingsurface of a nature to 'act onandcongeallthe materiales it passesalong and over the surface.

My invention,` as herein disclosed, particularly contemplates a machinewhich will receive the material vat one end `of one `or more `elongatedrefrigerating. passages, carry such material through thefes'inseparate4chambers or compartments, preferably continuously and at a speedpermittingthe congealingfof thegmatermijdurins pawsaandinnally iet. lef

, oongealed blocks at the otherend of thepassa'ges.

A more specific object of my invention is to provide such a for the fongeallingV of orange juice andlike liquid unserm-liquid materialsfintoblock`swhich can 'be "conveniently handled, transported and y'storedlin` commerce.

desired mannerl but in thecase, of vorange or like juices it isproposed'to distribute the juice to the consumer in block ,form to bemeltedin. providing fresh fruit The juice may be frozen immediately uponbeing yextracted',"f1'om the fr uit and kept in such frozen state thatthe blocks, upon being melted, will reassume its natuvral fresh form itsoriginal 'iiavorand freshness.V l. 1 v

In the accompanyin'gdrawings I have illus- .tratedcertain specicembodiments of my in` vention but'fit willbe understood that the inf I`Vventioncan be otherwise embodied and that the drawings are notto beconstrued as vdeilnirig or' limiting'the scope of the invention', theclaims appended hereto being Arelied upon for that" Referring to .thefigures of the drawings:

`Figrl isa view infront elevation, partially in section,` of a machineconstructedin accord: ancewith'my invention;

Fi8.2'isaviewin side Fig. 3 is an enlarged plansection taken on1ix`1e3-3of1llg.1`;`v l

Fig.4 4" is a fragmentary' perspective view of Fig. 3: y

gealed blocks formed by the machine;

, Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view vof one of'the conveyorbelts; y

elevation thereof;

51 is a perspective view of a line lof :con-y Fig. '1 is a fragmentarylviewesimilarto Fig. 3 e

plan section taiten l yon Fig. 11 is a a modiiicationl thereof ;y

Fig. l2 is a fragmentary sectional view through a conveyor belt of Fig.1i;A 1

Fig. 13 illustrates two congealed blocks formed by the machineshown inFig. 11;` Q

view to Fig. but'snqwing' "Fig. 14 isa perspectivefview of al DOrtion of `the machine shown in Figs'. 1 toiv Fig. `15 1s a similar view or!portiamo: the

machine shown in Figs.`. 8, 9 and 1 0; and

Fig. 16 is'fa plan view of Fig. ll.` v The form of my invention which Ivwilliirst describe is shown inFigs. .lto 6 of tlfie drawings4 naisparucuiariy adapted to' the con'geaung ci:`

slush material. Asiliustrated. alframe compris-` ing a pair o! uprightsconnected by rods 11 extends inwardly'and upwardly to provide twovertical supporting plates 12. Integral with or otherwise connected tothe plates 12 is a. pair of relatively long vertically-extending endplates 14. These end plates are the main support for the chamber-formingreirigerating members now to be described. v v

I provide a plurality of refrigerating members and 20a intermediate theend plates 14, each of these members comprising a U-shaped pipe or tube2 1 having vertically-extending elongated parallel portions anddiverging ends 24 and 25 respectivelyconnected to supply and dischargeheaders 27 and 28. Each tube 21 is formed into a rectangularrefrigerating member 20 by the application of a suitable heat-conductivematerial thereto, as best seen in Fig. 3, and the members are relativelyspaced to provide elongated' between, it will be understood that thisnumberl may be increased or diminished, as desired. The outer walls ofthe members-'20 and 20a are at and preferably right angular to the walls31,

whereby to receive thereagainstclosure members in form of conveyor belts37. 'The invention as'illustrated embodiesa pair' oi?v these belts `foreach twoadJacent 3 0, thebelts engaging 'tightlyagainst they walls 35ina manner sealing the sides of the passages against the escape gotliquid'thererrom. Thebelts comprise pivotally ccnnected'links or flatplates 38 and each belt is carried on two pairs of sprockets 39on'shafts 16 and 17. Each link l38 furthermore carries'a pair ofseparator plates 140 at right angles thereto andk adapted to extend intothe passages 30, thev separators being so arranged'on theoppositely-disposed belts that they cooperate in end to` end `relationto form partitions moy'-A able with the belts through the passages, andthe separators are so relatively spaced that they divide the passagesinto a plurality of equal compartments.V TheI inner en'dsof thesernauators may benotched at 41 to permit ther escape of air and thusavoid air bubbles in the frozenv produ ct and permit expansion of theliquid in freez ing. The beltsmaybedriven in thedirection indicated kbyvthe arrows from -any 'convenient source'ofpower. f

The end plates 14 extend outwardly at their upper ends to providebearings 4 2 io'r the shafts 15. The shafts 17 are mounted in bearingslides 43 adjustable by means of screws 44, thereby providing means foradjusting the tension on the belts. A supply -header y46 is mounted onthev upper ends of the plates 14. The members 20 and 20a alsohave-portions 19 thereof extending `upwardly toaposition considerablyabove the U ends of the tubes 21 and the extreme upperends of these'extensions are connected together inv proper spaced relation by spacers'18 and a long bolt 47. Thisbolt extends through the plates 19,`

spacers 18 and endplates-14 and serves to properly support the upperends of all the refrigerating members 20. The k l'lottorn ends of thesemembers are supported lnja 'similar manner.`

The bottom end 48 ofeach member zolextends outwardly T-shaped, as shownin' Fig. 1, and the outer"ends thereoi' are boltedfat 49 to ears 50k onthe frame 10. `The bottom ends of the refrigerating members are thusrigidly supported and held in proper spaced relation.

The two refrigerating members 20a intermediate the three pairs oi beltshave outwardly projecting. portions 52 iilling the gaps between thebelts. vertically-extending strips 53 are mounted on these portions andheldto the members by bolts y54,l thereby forming guideways for the sideedges of the belts. For the sake of rigidity, I also form ears 55 on thestrips 53 adjacent the top and bottom ends of the channels 30 and extendlong bolts 56 through these ears and through the end plates 14. Theseintermediate members 20a are ythereby rigidly supported and they areheld in proper spaced relation by means of check nuts 57 on the bolts56. These two intermediate` members also have at their upper endsoutwardly-extending portions 58 which fill the gaps between the platesin the trough formed between the end members 14 beneath the header 4 6.For the purpose of preventing leakage atthe upper ends of thempassages30, I may also applya pair-of 1 clamping plates 59 directly against thestrips 53, these platesl being secured by bolts 54 and 60. No suchclamping plates are necessary at the lower e'nd'of the device since 'thematerial atthat point is quite substantially congealed. The two endmembers 20 are bolted to the end plates 14 at 62 and an endless conveyor64 may be provided beneath 'the bottom ends of the passages 30V forreceiving andA conveying the f frozen blocks therefrom.v

It isv believed that theconstruction, operation and use of my inventionwill be clear from the above description. Before'starti'ng'the machine,the members v20 are-broughtto the desired refr igeratingdegre'e, andkept at such temperature by circulating cold brine or otherrefrigerating medium therethroughand a limited amount of slush materialto be frozen is then permitted to ow yinto the top 'end of the passagesand trickle downwardly through the openings formed bythe notches 41.This slush-quickly congeals sui1iciently to iill these openings andprevent further escape of liquid therethrough. The feed of the slushfrom the header 46 into'th'etrough formed between theendplate's 14 isnow brought up to lll the operating point, wherein the slush flows intothe top ends of the passages; The operation of the belts l37'is thenstarted and th vbelts vare 'moved slowly and continuously in thedirection indicated by the arrows. The speed of operation of these beltswill, of course, depend upon 4the length ofthe passages 30 and thedegree of refrigeration oi the members 20.

As 4the slush trapped between the separators 40 is moved downwardlythrough the passages,v it is congealed into blocks 65 which drop fromthe lower end of the passages onto the conveyor belt 64. These blocks,'as seen in Fig; 5, are connected `together by a tin 66 formed withinthe notches 41 andwhich iin may be suiciently-narrow and fragile to bebroken by the weight of a block. The belts 64 convey the blocks to apackaging position where they are wrapped or otherwiseprepared forthemarket and the blocks are thereafter kept in refrigeration and sold-veryvmuchafter the manner of the well-knownEskimo pie.

The i'orm of my invention shownl inI Figs. 8, 9 and 10 is,"in general,similar to that above de` scribed but its speciiic'Y construction issomewhat different in orderto betteradapt the machine to the handling ofliquids. This machine comprises a plurality oi" refrigeratingr members70 having lbrine pipesV 71 extending therethrough and formbetween. Endplates 74 are secured to theendy members 70 by bolts 75 and side plates76'are secured thereto by bolts 7'7. Y

Two wideand continuous belts 80 are used with this form of machine,these belts extendingover upper and lower sprockets 81 on shafts 82rotatable in bearings 83. The bearings 83 are formed on the lowercorners of upwardly-extending portions 85`of the side plates '76 (Fig.15). rIhe belts are preferably of metal, relatively thinand ilexible,andl each extends Vfrom a drain opening in one end plate 74 to a likedrain opening in the other end plate. Separators 87, like the separators40 in Fig. 6, are mounted in spaced relation on each belt by beingextended throughthe'belt,

and having heads 88 formed thereon at the opposite side of the belt.`These heads serve as teeth engaging in notches 89 in the sprockets". no

l vention whichv embodies a pair of conveyor and 'I'he side plates 76are recessed at' 90 to accomi modate the heads or vteeth 8 8.

The members 70-may be extended upwardlyat Y 93 (Figs. 8 and 15) toaconsiderable distance,

above the U ends of the tubes ,71.and to a point` substantially flushwith the top edges of the side members 85. These extensions 93 aresomewhat T-shaped and'v their` side edges are preferably arcuate toengage the curved upper portion of the belts. The drains 86 are curvedin like many ner at 94, as are also the cooperatingtop portions of the`side plates 76. The curved upper ends ofplates 76 are slotted at 761 toprovide clearance for receiving .the sprockets 81. The arrangement issuch that the two belts form the sides of a trough95 at the top ends ofthe channels 72 yand the end members 70 and 85 form the ends of thetrough. The members 93 and `85 are anchored and secured together inproper spaced relation by a long bolt 97, spacers 96 being providedthereon between the several members 93.

A supply tank 98 is mounted on the outer ends of one ofthe membersy 85andholes 99 through the wall and through the adjacent member 85 andmembers 93 serve to pass the liquid intotheseveral channels 72.`Theliquid may be supplied seeping from one channel v72fto anotherchannel 72 (Fig.r9) is of no concern and anyliquid seeping past the endmembers 70 willrpass off through the drains 86.` The slots in `tlieiendsof the separators 81 serve to'permit the escapeof", air and to allowforexpansion ofthe product in freezing.V

In Figs. .11, 12 and 13`I have shown another,l

modified form of my machine particularly adapted to the handling ofliquids. The. refrigerating tween. A pair of endless belts 116 areprovided* for closingY the sides of each channel and each of thesevbeltscomprises a thin metal belt 117 movable with and Aupon arubber-impregnated canvas belt 118, both being anchored to a sprock-Aet-engaging chain119. Pairs of cooperating separators 120 are carried bythe belts and theends l thereof are in relatively spaced relation at 122to permit the escape of air and-to provide for the tankto the y claimasnew `and desire to secure by Letters Patlthe invention is,A 125`freezing expansion. Each separator plate exf tends through the belt 117and into the canvas 'belt 118 and is riveted or otherwise secured toproviding 'separators within the channels 114. lThe chains are vguidedto run Within channels 125 in the filler pieces 126. It willbeunderstood that the belts 116 are endless and extend over sprockets atoppositeV ends of the channels 114. The .chains 119 provide strongcarriers for the belts and the belt 118 Serves as a gasket preventing ileakage `of liquid from the channels. The ma'- chine is adapted to formcongealed blocks 128 i connected byrelatvely narrow portions 129.

`While I have above described a form of my inseparator-carrying belts,it will be understood ,that the' invention is by no means to beconsidered as-thus limited since modifications thereof, such as the useof a single belt, will readily be apparent.` I have by way ofillustration, in Fig. 7,v shown my invention as carried out by the useof a single belt. This construction comprisesa plurality ofrefrigerating members 130 relatively spaced to provide refrigeratingchannels 132 therebetween.' One of the open sides of 'the channels isclosed by a plate 134 and the other side is' closed by a belt 136carrying 'a pluralityof separators 138 dividing the channels into aplurality' vof'chambers in the manner illustrated in Fig. 8. It will, ofcourse, be obvious that this belt 136 may be of any desiredconstruction, including the several specific forms `herein disclosed.The operation of this form ofv the invention will be' obvious since itis substan- ,tially the same as has been vabove described.

Also, while I have herein illustrated machines particularly adapted tothe handling of slush material and liquids, it will be understood that4ireezable, solids may be handled in likeV man- 'ner merely by providinga suitable hopper means for feeding such material into the freezingchannels or chambers. i

AHavirigthus described vmy invention,` what I ent is:

f1. A refrigerating machine for forming conjgeale'd blocks ofmoisture-containing material or comestibles, comprising refrigeratingmeans yforming an elongated passage having parallel side walls, aplurality of elements extending into "the'passage and relatively spacedto form compartments, :means for supplying the uncon- Vgealed materialto the compartments at one end of the passage, and means for moving theelements` through the'passage Where the material within` theYcompartments is congealed into block form.

2. A refrigerating machine for forming congealed blocksofrnoisture-containing material, comprising opposedrefrigerating membersrelatively l spaced to form an elongated passage therebetween, aplurality of pairs of elements extending-into thel passage andcooperating in relatively spaced relation to form compartments, meansfor supplying the uncongealed material to ,the compartments at one endof the passage, and means for moving'the said pairs of elements through`'the passage where the vmaterial within 3. A refrigerating machine forforming convthe compartments' is congealed into block form. 153

comprising opposed rei'rigerating members 'relativelyspaced to form anelongated passage therebetween open at opposite sides, apair of,travel-4 ing belts closing the said opensides, a plurality of`cooperating pairs of elements extendinginto the on the belts to formcompartments and means for supplying the uncongealed material to thecompartments at. one end of the passage, the belts being adapted to movethe elements through the passage where the material within thecompartments is congealed into block form.

5. Av refrigerating machine for forming congealed blocks ofmoisture-containing material, comprising opposed refrigerating vmembersrelatively spaced to form an elongated passage open at opposite sides, apair of wheels' adjacent the open sides at each endof the passagaa pairof endless belts extending over the wheels and 'closing the said opensides, a plurality of cooperating pairs of separator plates extendinginto the passage and carried in relatively spaced relation on the beltsto form compartiments,l and means for supplying the material to betreated to the compartments at one end of the passage, the belts beingadapted to move the plates through the pas-4 sage where the materialwithin the compartments is congealed into block form. Y

6. A refrigerating machine for forming congealed blocks ofmoisture-containing material,I

comprising refrigerating members Vforming an elongated passage, aplurality of elements extending into the passage and relatively spacedto form compartments, means forsupplying the material,v

to be treated to the compartments at one end of the passage, and meansfor moving the elements through the passage where the material withinthe compartments is congealed into block Iorm, 'the elements forming thecompartments. vent openings therethrough to permit expansion of thematerial andtheescape of air.

7. A refrigerating machine for forming congealedr blocks ofmoisture-containing material, comprising -opposed refrigerating membersrelatively spaced to form an elongated passage, a plurality of pairs ofelements extending into the pas-Av sage, the elements of each pairbeingin .edge to edge relation at their inner ends but spacedsunlciently toform a vent therebetween and the pairs being relativelyspaced to form compartments adapted to receive at one endv of thepassage theV material to be treated, and means for moving the'A saidpairs of elements through the passage' where the material within rthecompartments is `congealed into block form.

sage therebetween, refrigerant-carrying conduits withinvthe members andadjacent to the walls, each yoi said members having two outside walls,

vtraveling means engaging said outside walls and closing the gaptherebetween at opposite sides of the passage, a plurality of elementsextending into the passage and carried in relatively spaced relation on,the traveling means `to form a vseries of compartments,and means forsupplying the material to bev treated to the compartments at one end ofthe passage, the traveling means being lply end and'through the passagewhere the material within the compartments is congealed into block form.

v9. A'refrigerating machine for forming congealed" blocks ofmoisture-containing material, V`comprising rei'rigerating means formingtwo" elongated passages, a plurality of elements extending into thepassages and relatively spaced to formcompartments, means for supplyingthe material passage and carried in relatively spaced relation tO'betreated t0 the compartments at One end 0f the passages, and means formoving the elements through the' passages where the material within thecompartments is congealed into block form, certainof saidtelements whichextend into both said passages being carried by a single'carryingmeans.. M A v l0. A reirigerating machinefor forming congealedblocks ofmoisture-containing material,

` comprising three refrigerating members relatively spaced to `form twoelongated passages therebetween, a plurality of elements extending intothe passages and relatively spaced to form compartrn'en'ts, means forsupplying the" material to the compartments at one end of the passages,-and common means for moving the elements through both passages where thematerial within the compartments is congealed-into block form.

11.A refrigerating machine for forming congealed' blocks ofmoisture-containing material, comprising three relatively spaced membershaving walls forming two elongated'passages therebetween,`refrigera,nt-carryingA conduits within l' the members and adjacenttothe 'walls,'eachot' said members having two outside walls, twotraveling belts engaging said outside walls and closing the gaps`therebetween at opposite sides of the4 passages,l a plurality ofelements extending into the passages and carried in relatively spacedrelation 4on the belts Lto form compartments, and means for supplyingthe` material to the compartments at one end of the passages, the beltsbeing adapted to move the elements through the passages where the'material within the compartments is congealed into block' form.

12. A rei'rigeratingI machine for'forming con- V adapted to move theelements away from'the sup- I izo gealed blocks of moisture-containingmaterial,

comprising elongated refrigerating means having an elongated open-sidedpassage formed therein,

a continuous one-piecev belt closing the opensided portion of thepassage, a plurality of ele mentsextending into the passage and carriedin compartmentaand means for supplying the material to the compartmentsat one end of the passage, the belt being adapted to move the elementsthrough jthe passage where the material within having an elongatedopen-sided passage formed therein, a continuous one-piece belt closingthe open-sidedv portion of the passageya pair of sprocket wheelssupporting the opposite vends lo1.'

'relatively lspaced relation on the belt to form t eling belt closingsprocket teeth at the `portion of the passage,

the belt, a plurality of compartment-forming elements extending into thepassage and carried in relatively spaced relation on the belt, saidelements extending through the belt and providing inner side of thebelt, and means for supplying the material to the compartments at oneend of the passage, the belt being adapted to move the elements throughthe passage where the material within the compartments is congealed intoblock form.

14. A refrigerating machine for forming congealed blocks ofmoisture-containing material, comprising elongated refrigerating meanshaving a plurality of elongated open-sided passages formed therein, acontinuous one-piece belt closing the open sides of the passages, aplurality of compartment-forming elements extending into the passagesand carried in relatively spaced relation on the belt, and means forsupplying the material to the compartments at one end of thepassages,.the belt being adapted to move the elements through thepassages where the material within the compartments is congealed intoblock form. e

l5. A refrigerating machine for forming congealed blocks ofmoisture-containing material, comprising opposed refrigerating membersrelatively spaced to therebetween open at opposite sides, a pair ofcontinuous belts closing the said open sides, a plurality of cooperatingpairs of elements extending into the passage and carried in relativelyspaced relation on the belts to form compartments, and means forsupplying the material to the compartments at one end of the passage,the belts being adapted to move the elements through the passage wherethe material within the compartments is congealed into block form.

16. A refrigerating machine for forming congealed blocks ofmoisture-containing material, comprising elongated refrigerating meanshaving formed therein a plurality of passages each open at oppositesides, a pair of traveling belts closing the said open sides, aplurality of cooperating pairs of compartment-forming elements extendinginto the passages and carried in relatively spaced relation on thebelts, and means for supplying the material to the compartments at oneend of the passages, the belts being adapted to move the elementsthrough the passages where the material within the compartments iscongealed into block form.

17. A refrigerating machine for forming congealed blocks oflmoisture-containing material, comprising elongated refrigerating meanshaving an open-sided passage formed therein, a traveling belt closingthe open-sided portion of the passage, a plurality ofcompartment-forming elements extending into the passage and carried inrelatively spaced relationv on the belt, a relatively thick belt on therear face of the first-mentioned belt and cooperating therewith to sealthe said open-sided and means for supplying one end of the material tothe compartments at `the passage, the belt being adapted to move theelements through the passage where the material within the compartmentsis congealed into block form.

18. A refrigerating machine for forming congealed blocks ofmoisture-containing material, comprising elongated refrigerating membershaving an open-sided passage formed therein, a travthe open side of thepassage, a relatively thick belt on the rear face of the firstmentionedbelt and cooperating therewith, a link form an elongated passage' beltrearwardly of the second-mentioned belt, a. plurality ofcompartment-forming elements carried in relatively spaced relation bythe link belt and extending through the rst and seond-named belts andinto the passage, and means for supplying the material to thecompartments at one end of the passage, the belts being adapted to movethe elements through the passage where the material within thecompartments is congealed into block form.

`19. A refrigeratin'g machine for forming congealed blocks ofmoisture-containing material, comprising opposed refrigerating membersrela.- tively spaced to form an elongated passage therebetween open atopposite sides, afpair of traveling belts closing the said open sides, apair of relatively thick belts disposed respectively on the rear facesof the first-mentioned belts and cooperating therewith to seal the saidopen sides, a plurality of cooperatingv pairs of elements extending intothe passage and carried in relatively spaced relation on the belts toform compartments in the passage, and means for supplying the materialto the compartments at one end of the passage, the belts being adaptedto move the elements through the passage where the material within thecompartments is congealed into block form.

2,0. A refrigerating machine for forming congealed blocks ofmoisture-containing material, comprising opposed refrigerating membersrelatively spaced to form an -elongated passage therebetween open atopposite sides, a pair of traveling belts closing the said open sides, apair of relatively thick belts Adisposed respectively on the rear facesof the first-mentioned belts and cooperating therewith to seal the saidopen sides, a pair of link belts disposed respectively outside thesecond-mentioned belts, a plurality of cooperating pairs ofcompartment-forming elements carried in relatively spaced relation bythe link belts and extending through the first and second-named beltsand into the passage,

and means for supplying the material to the compartments at one end ofthe passage, the belts being adapted to move the elements through thepassage where the material within the compartments is congealed intoblock form.

21. A refrigeratingmachine for forming congealed blocks ofmoisture-containing material, comprising elongated refrigerating membershaving a plurality of open-sided passages formed therein, meansproviding drain ports, a continuous belt closing the open sides of thepassages and having its edge portions extending into the drain ports, aplurality of compartment forming elements extending into the passagesand carried in relatively spaced relation on the belt, and means forsupplying the material to the compartments at one end of the passages,the belt being adapted to move the elements through the passages wherethe material within the compartments is congealed into block form.

22. A refrigerating machine for forming congealed blocks ofmoisture-containing material, comprising refrigerating members having aplurality of elongated open-sided passages formed therein, meansproviding drain ports parallel to the said passages and curved outwardlyat the upper ends thereof, a movable belt closing the open sides of thepassages, the upper end of the belt curving outwardly with its edgesextending into the curved portions of the drain ports, a sprocket wheelsupporting the belt at its upper curved end, a plurality ofcompartment-forming elements extending into the passages and carried 1in relatively spaced relation on the belt, and

means including the curved upper end of the belt forming a hopper forsupplyingthe material to be treated to the compartments at the upperends of the passages, the belt being adapted to move the elementsthrough the passages where the ma.-

terial within the compartments is congealed into block form.

23. A refrigerating machine having heat-con- 10 ductive walls forming-anelongated rectangular passage adapted to receive at one end an unfrozenmaterial in bulk, partitions movable in spaced relation through saidpassage for feeding the material therethrough and dividing it into denedblocks, and means i'or refrigerating the blocks thus formed during theirtransit oi' the passage, the side walls ot the passage being paral- 1e1throughout the retrigerating path.

BICKNELL HALL.

